The planning inspectorate has upheld a decision to refuse planning permission to turn an annexe into a holiday let on a Criccieth housing estate.

In March, Gwynedd Council’s planning committee turned down the application amid concerns it would “open the floodgates” to a deluge of applications to convert garages and other outside buildings.

After a site visit, members voted by nine to two to follow the advice of officers in refusing the application at Eirianedd on the Rhos Bach estate in Criccieth, as it would contravene policy.

The applicant submitted an appeal in a bid to overturn the committee’s decision, but the Planning Inspectorate has now turned it down.

According to Gwynedd Council planning officers, the proposal to convert the building into a one-bedroom self-catering unit is “unacceptable because of the site’s location within a residential housing estate”.

They said the authority “had not been satisfied that there is not an excess of this type of accommodation in the area”.

The Planning Inspectorate agreed that the application does not meet several policies.

The inspectorate said: “I note the appellant’s comments that the proposal would support the local economy by providing high-quality visitor accommodation and the use of local businesses and tradespeople.

“However, there is insufficient evidence provided to demonstrate that it would not result in an over-concentration of such accommodation and would not negatively impact on local services, which is the justification for the thresholds in the SPG.

“Although the proposal for a one-bedroom unit may not result in a substantial increase in the number of vehicle movements, the nature of a holiday use would result in a different pattern of movements from the neighbouring residential uses and may involve late arrivals and departures causing disturbance to the occupiers of nearby dwellings.

“Although the appellant contends that those staying in the proposed unit would be away from the property for most of the day, it is reasonable to expect visitors to keep different hours from nearby residents whilst on holiday, which could result in increased noise and activity from within and around the building later into the evening or during early mornings.”